Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says the Transmission Gully opening date has been delayed by COVID-19 and it is working with its teams to confirm a new opening date for the motorway.
Contractor Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP) and its subcontractor CPB HEB Joint Venture advised Waka Kotahi of the delays.
They say the recent lockdown, alert level 3 restrictions, and supply chain constraints as a result of the extended lockdown in Auckland have impacted on their ability to meet the contractually agreed opening date of September 27.
The 27-kilometre Transmission Gully motorway will be a safer and more reliable route for motorists travelling between Wellington and the lower North Island, and will provide the Wellington region with greater resilience in earthquakes and storms.
Waka Kotahi transport services general manager Brett Gliddon says work has resumed on the project under the appropriate health and safety protocols since the move in alert levels.
“However these new delays, on top of the risk that already existed around achieving the contractually agreed opening date, mean it is clear that the motorway will not be ready to open on 27 September,” Gliddon says.
“Waka Kotahi, WGP and CPB HEB are working together to understand the full impacts of the lockdown and restrictions on the project, and confirm a new opening date.
“We know that people are keen to see the road open as soon as possible, and everyone is working as fast as they can to get the road open to the public,” Gliddon says.
As well as finishing works, there are other critical requirements which also need to be met by WGP and CPB HEB before the motorway can legally be opened for public use.
This includes safety and asset quality assurance work, and compliance with environmental consent conditions.
Waka Kotahi and WGP says they will provide an update once the additional time required to complete the road for public use has been agreed.
The delays add further hiccups to the project which has already suffered setbacks and cost blowouts with an extra cost of $400m added to the project last year.
